Meet the site
Crofts Bay lies between the Bay of Martyrs and the Bay of Islands proper, 3 km west of Peterborough in the Bay of Islands Coastal Park. It is 1.2 km wide and unusual on this coast in being genuinely sheltered: extensive reefs and a scatter of sea stacks extend up to a kilometre offshore and break the Southern Ocean swell before it reaches the steep, rip-free beach. That shelter is what makes it a shore dive, and the Scuba Doctor describes plenty of interesting structure to explore around 80–100 m offshore, with boat diving available on the outer reefs in 20–25 m. The inner reef is limestone ridges, gutters, ledges and the submerged bases of the stacks in 3–8 m, kelp-topped and sponge-sided, holding crayfish and abalone in the ledges and the usual western Victorian fish community of wrasse, sweep, magpie perch, zebrafish and leatherjackets, with rays on the sand between. The outer reefs, a kilometre out, are open-coast limestone in 20–25 m with the richer invertebrate cover and bigger fish that come with clearer, more stable water, and they are essentially unexplored by anyone but a few local boat divers.
Like its neighbours it is a high-tide, low-swell site, but it earns its place as the most forgiving of the three bays for a shore dive and the best choice for a first look at this coast. The steps from the car park are short, the beach is steep enough that you are in swimming depth quickly, and the inner reefs give an hour or more of easy exploration in a landscape of stacks and bluffs that is as dramatic from below as from the lookouts above. It suits Open Water divers comfortable with a surface swim and some surge, and it is a fine snorkel on the calmest days. Boat divers should treat the outer reefs as an exposed advanced site.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Crofts Bay is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Shipwreck Coast & Warrnambool. The listed access is shore or boat. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Crofts Bay suitable for my certification?
The record lists Advanced Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Crofts Bay through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Southern rock lobster, black-lip abalone, blue-throat wrasse, sea sweep, magpie perch, zebrafish, leatherjackets, smooth rays, kelp, sponges and ascidians; richer sponge cover on the outer reefs
Location
A 1.2 km bay sheltered by extensive reefs and sea stacks extending up to 1 km offshore, between the Bay of Martyrs and the Bay of Islands, 3 km west of Peterborough.
Facilities nearby
Highway car park only; toilets at Boat Bay (1 km west) and Peterborough; no air fills nearer than Warrnambool.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
scubadoctor.com.auvisitvictoria.comRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.